Scout's tracking service 810-240-4891: goose chase

Sunday, October 9, 2011

goose chase

This track was one of my most difficult recoveries. Todd shot this buck during his morning sit. The shot was about 12 yards and he knew he made a mortal shot. He started tracking about 1/2 hour after he made the shot. About 100 yards into the track he jumped the buck from his bed. Todd backed out and waited a few more hours before picking up the trail. Todd and his wife and some friends started blood tracking and about 200 yards farther they lost the blood trail. They grid searched the woods and the swamp to the north and came up empty. After our phone conversation I knew Todd had made a mortal shot and I was excited to come make what I thought was going to be a easy recovery. I started my 2 year old dachshund Sypris to give her some more field time and put one more recovery under her collar. She nailed the first 300 yards to the last known spot of blood. After that she took me due west and to the south and I never could find another drop of blood to confirm she was correct. After a few restarts I decided to go get Scout my seasoned tracking dog and I knew he could easily find my clients buck. He also nailed the track up to the last known spot of blood. After that he found one spot of blood about 40 yards farther west and after that he was stumped. So at this point I was wondering what the heck was going on. This should have been a slam dunk track. At this point I have no option but to take scout to areas that would look like a good spot for the buck to go and lay down. To the north was a pond and swamp. The hunter and his wife and several friends have already grid searched the woods and the swamp. I took scout to the edge of the woods and walked him parallel to the swamp and he air scented the buck that was lying under a fallen tree top. The temperature was in the mid 80s and the forest floor was very dry and with all the human contamination it made this track impossible to scent trail to the deer. Hunters do not realize how much damage they can do and make it impossible for a tracking dog to due there job. This track could have very easily ended without a recovery. The buck was shot in the liver.

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Scout The mega millions lotto ticket

SCOUTING FOR A PUPPY

-A story about a pet dachshund that has a purpose in life-

by Rob Miller

(Introduction and Afterthoughts by Sian Kwa)

INTRODUCTION

Some time ago, I was contacted by Rob Miller, a Michigan deer hunter, who owns an amazing little miniature, chocolate and tan, longhair dachshund, named Scout. After a couple of phone conversations, I was quite impressed about Rob’s knowledge of blood tracking, which he obtained primarily from working with this one little dog.

In November of last year, I met Rob and Scout in Michigan. Curious of Scout’s performance, I could not wait to witness the tracking ability of this dog. The opportunity was offered to me when joining them at a recovery of a deer that was shot by a deer hunter two days before we arrived at the scene.

I observed Scout as a slow, but methodical tracker. He takes ample time to investigate the starting or shot site and explores the surroundings extensively, before he decides to follow the trail. Each minute sign of the deer, whether it is a hoof print in dirt or a teeny speckle of blood, is examined carefully. The major advantage for a handler of such a dog is that there is plenty of time to assess the area for signs of the wounded deer.

It is evident that Rob knows his dog incredibly well. When Scout was in doubt or has lost the trail, Rob allowed his dog to thoroughly search the area without interfering much. Meanwhile Rob was scoping the surroundings for signs of the deer himself. It was sheer pleasure to watch Rob and Scout working closely together as an ideal tracking team.

However, to me the most astonishing part of Scout’s success story is not his performance, but how Rob got Scout.

SCOUT’S STORY

One day a co-worker of Rob’s wife, Colleen, had bought a red miniature smooth dachshund. Colleen immediately fell in love with the dog. Rob and Colleen have four young children and one of them is allergic to animal dander. Due to their son’s allergy, they were limited in the choice of pets.

Rob had heard about dachshunds that are being used for recovering wounded deer. A few years back, he was in dire need of a deer recovery dog, when he lost his “buck of a lifetime”. Rob searched the area for a handler with a tracking dog, but without any luck.

When Colleen came home and told her husband about the cute little dog of her co-worker, and announced that she wanted one too, Rob was surprised and excited. He imagined he could own his tracking dog while his wife would have her cute little dachsie. In the meantime, the kids could also learn the responsibilities of owning a pet.

The looks of a red dachshund did not quite appeal to the Miller family. They preferred a black and tan. Rob searched the local newspapers and found an ad of a local breeder selling miniature longhair dachshunds. He called her and left a message on the answering machine. When returning his call, she told him there were three male chocolate and tan longhair pups in the litter still available. Set on a black and tan, Rob was initially not interested. The breeder insisted on emailing him photos of her pups. Needless to say, the Miller family was sold!

The next day Rob was scheduled in the second shift at his job and did not get out of work until 11 pm. He did not want to wait to see the pups. Thankful to the breeder for allowing a late visit, Rob drove to Metro Detroit after work and arrived at the breeder’s home in the middle of the night. The father of the pups was present. He was a very handsome male. Unfortunately, Rob did not get to see the mother.

The breeder brought out the three little male puppies. The pups looked healthy and plump, and were full of energy. The appearance of the three pups was fairly similar, but one little boy kept coming to Rob, demanding attention. His two brothers did not show interest in the human visitor. Rob’s choice was made. The affectionate puppy became Scout!

Before leaving the breeder’s home, Rob had laid a 50-foot line by dragging a deer leg in the side yard. Rob put Scout at the start of the line. Without any hesitation, the little puppy followed the line straight to the end and continued searching for whichever item was responsible for the smell.

During the two hour drive home, the friendship between Rob and Scout was initiated. That bond grew only stronger over time and they became best buddies.

The following months, Rob trained Scout following the training instructions described in John Jeanneney’s book. He added and modified some techniques that he thought seemed to fit the dog. Scout was a natural in tracking, and immediately showed great interest in following deer scent. He was a fanatic when playing with the deer legs.

Now at 4 years of age, he has made quite a name for himself with deer hunters in the area. As soon as Rob puts on his rubber boots and grabs his tracking backpack Scout starts barking like crazy. He knows it is time to work……

AFTERTHOUGHTS

Rob currently enjoys tracking with Scout much more than hunting deer. Together they track for other deer hunters and have successfully recovered numerous deer that would have been lost.

Scout’s story is not meant to promote so-called ‘backyard breeding’, but is only an example that some preferred traits are present in dogs that many of us would consider ‘culls’. Scout’s conformation is not optimal. He weighs 12 pounds. His coat is much too fluffy even before he was neutered. His front and hind angulations are far from picture perfect and his gaiting is a bit choppy. Not at all a beautiful show dachshund, but the Miller family could not care less about their lovable pet and best friend, which sleeps with them in bed. He is so much part of the family. Rob –however- did the responsible ‘thing’ and had neutered Scout.

I just cannot help wondering what Scout’s could have contributed to the breed with regard to blood tracking, if he were to be used for breeding. Although Scout’s conformation would not make him a show champion, his ability to track wounded deer is exceptional, and rarely seen in miniature dachshunds. His breeder did not intend to breed for hunting. Thus Scout is merely a winning lottery ticket. A coincidence.

It is perhaps interesting to take a step back and look at puppies with a broader view. That unappealing troublemaking puppy you placed in a pet home might have been your best hunter ever…..